A Few Sighs from Hell, Exposition · Verse 22
Verſe 22. And it came to paſs, that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome: the rich man alſo died, and was buried.
THe former verſes do briefly hold forth the carriage of of the ungodly in this life toward the Saints. Now this Verſe doth hold forth the departure both of the godly and the ungodly out of this life.
Where he ſaith, And it came to paſs, that the beggar died, and was carried into Abrahams boſome: and the rich man died alſo.] The beggar died, that repreſents the godly: and the rich man died, that repreſents the ungodly; from whence obſerve. Neither godly …or ungodly muſt live alwayes without a change, either by death or judgement; the good man died, and the bad man died; that Scripture alſo doth back this truth, that good and bad muſt die, marvellous well, where it is ſaid, And it is appointed to men once to die, and after that the judgement. Heb. 9.27.
Mark, he doth not ſay it is ſo, that men by chance may die, which might beget in the hearts of the ungodly, eſpecially ſome hope to ſcape the bitterneſs of it; but he ſaith, It is a thing moſt certain, it is appointed. Mark, it is appointed for men once to die, and after that the judgement. God hath decreed it, that ſince men have fallen from that happy eſtate that God at the firſt did ſet them in, they ſhall die: now when it is ſaid the beggar died, and the rich man died; part of the meaning is, they ceaſed to be any more in this world; I ſay, partly the meaning, but not altogether. Though it be altogether the meaning when ſome of the creatures die, yet it is but in part the meaning, when it is ſaid, that men, women, or children die; for there is to them ſomething elſe to be ſaid more then barely a going out of the world: For if when unregenera…e men and women die, there were an end of them, not onelyonly in this world, but alſo in the world to come, they would, as I may ſay, be happy over they will be now; for when ungodly men and women die, there is that to come after death, if they die unregenerate, that will be very terrible to them; namely, to be carried by the Angels of darkneſs from their death-beds to hell, there to be reſerved to the judgement of the great day, when both body and ſoul ſhall meet, and be united together again, and made capable to undergo the uttermoſt vengeance of the Almighty to all eternity. This is that I ſay, which doth follow a man (that is not born again) after death; as is clear from that in 1 Pet. 3.18, 19. Where before ſpeaking of Chriſt being raiſed again by the power of his eternal ſpirit, he ſaith, by which, that is, by that ſpirit he went and preached to the ſpirits in priſon; but what is the meaning of this? Why thus much; that thoſe ſouls who were once alive in the world in the time, or dayes in which Noah lived, being diſobedient in their times to the calls of God by his Spirit in Noah, for ſo I underſtand it, was according to that which was foretold by that Preacher deprived of life, and overcome by the flood, and are now in priſon. Mark, he preached to the ſpirits in Priſon; he doth not ſay, who were in Priſon, but to them (in) that is, now in Priſon, under chains of da…kneſs, reſerved, or kept there, in that priſon, in which now they are (ready like villains in the jayl to be brought before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt at the great day: but of this I ſhall ſpeak further by and by. Now if this one truth▪ that men muſt die and depart this world, …nd either enter into joy, or elſe into priſon, to be reſerved to the day of judgement, were believed, we ſhould not have ſo many wantons walk up and down the ſtreeets as there do; at leaſt it would put a mighty check to their filthy carriages, ſo that they would not, could not walk ſo baſely and ſinfully as they do. Belſhazzer notwithſtanding he was ſo far from the fear of God, ſo long as he was ſenſeleſs of the Lords hand againſt him; yet when he did but ſee that God was offended, and threatned him for his wickedneſs, it made him hang down his head, and knock his knees together, Dan. 5.5, 6. If you read the verſes before, you will finde he was careleſs, and ſatisfying his luſts in drinking, and playing the wanton with his Concubines. But ſo ſoon as he did but perceive the finger of an hand, writing, then (ſaith the Scripture) the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, ſo that the joynts of his loins were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another. And when Paul told Felix of Righteouſneſs,Acts 24.25. Temperance, and Judgement to come, it made him rremble. And let me tell thee (Soul) whoſoever thou art, that if thou didſt but verily believe that thou muſt die, and come into the judgement, it would make thee turn over a new leaf, as we ſay. But this is the miſery, the devil doth labour by all means, as to keep out other things that are good, ſo to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies, the thoughts of paſſing from this life into another world; for he knows, if he can but keep them from the ſerious thoughts of death, he ſhall the more eaſily keep them in their ſins; and ſo from cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt, as Job ſaith, Their houſes are ſafe from fear, Job 21.9.neither is the rod of God upon them. Which makes them ſay to God, Depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, verſe 14. Becauſe there is no fear of death, and judgement to come, therefore they do put off God and his wayes, and ſpend their dayes in their ſins; and in a moment, that is, before they are aware, go down to the grave. ver. 17. And thus it ſared alſo with the man ſpoken of in Luke 12.20. the man inſtead of thinking of death, he thought how he might make his barns bigger: but in the midſt of his buſineſs in the world, he loſt his ſoul before he was aware: ſuppoſing that death had been many years off. But God ſaid unto him, Thou fool, thou troubleſt thy ſelf abo…t things of this life▪ thou putteſt off the thoughts of departing this world, when this night thy ſoul ſhall be taken from thee. Or, this night, they, that is, the devil will fetch away thy ſoul from thee. And here it comes to paſs, mens not being exerciſed with the thoughts of departing this life, that they are ſo unexpected to themſelves and their neighbours, taken away from the pleaſures and profits; yea, all the enjoyments they buſie themſelves withall while they live in this world. And hence it is again, that you have ſome in your towns and cities that are ſo ſuddenly taken away, ſome from haunting the Ale-houſe, others from haunting the Whore-houſes, others from playing and gaming, others from the cares and covetous deſires after this world, unlooked for as by themſelves, or their companions. Hence it is alſo, that men do ſo wonder at ſuch tidings as this, there is ſuch an one dead, ſuch an one is departed; it is becauſe they do ſo little conſider, both the tranſitorineſs of themſelves and their neighbours: for had they but their thoughts well exerciſed about the ſhortneſs of this life, and the danger that will befall ſuch as do miſs of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, it would make them more wary and ſober, and ſpend more time in the ſervice of God, and be more delighted and diligent in enquiring after the Lord Jeſus, who is the deliverer from wrath to come. For as I ſaid before, it is evident, that they who live after the fleſh in the luſts thereof, do not really and ſeriouſly think on death, and the judgement that doth follow after, neither do they indeed endeavour ſo to do; for did they, it would make them ſay with holy Job. Job 14.14.All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. And as I ſaid before, that not onelyonly the wicked, but alſo the godly have their time to depart this life. And the beggar died. The Saints of the Lord, they muſt be deprived of this life alſo, they muſt yield up the Ghoſt into the hands of the Lord their God; they muſt alſo be ſeparated from their wives, children, husbands, friends, goods, and all that they have in the world. For God hath decreed it: It is appointed namely, by the Lord for men once to die, and we muſt all appear before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt. As it is 2 Corinth. 5.10, 11.
But it may be objected, if the godly do die as well as the wicked, and if the ſaints muſt appear before the judgement ſeat as well as the ſinners; then what advantage have the godly more then the ungodly, and how can the Saints be in a better condition then the wicked?
Anſw. Read the 22th. verſe over again, and you ſhall finde a marvellous difference between them, as much as is between heaven and hell, everlaſting joy, and everlaſting torment; for you finde, that when the beggar died, which repreſents the godly. He was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome, or into everlaſting joy;*Pſal. 1. but the ungodly are not ſo, but are hurried by the devils into the bottomleſs pit: for he ſaith, And in hell he lift up his eyes. When the ungodly do die, their miſery beginneth; for then appear the devils, like ſo many lions, waiting every moment till the ſoul depart from the body. Sometimes they are very viſible to the dying party, but ſometimes more inviſible; but alwayes this is certain, they never miſs of the ſoul, if it do die out of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but do hale it away to the priſon, as I ſaid before, there to be tormented, and reſerved until that great and general day of judgement, at which day they muſt body and ſoul receive a final ſentence from the righteous Judge, and from that time be ſhut out from the preſence of God into everlaſting woe and diſtreſs. But the godly, when the time of their departure is at hand, then alſo are the Angels of the Lord at hand; yea, they are ready waiting upon the ſoul to conduct it ſafely into Abrahams boſom. I do not ſay, but the devils are oft times very buſie doubtleſs, and attending the Saints in their ſickneſſe; I, and no queſtion but they would willingly deprive the ſoul of glory. But here is the comfort, as the devils come from hell to devour the ſoul, (if it be poſſible, at its departure) ſo the Angels of the Lord come from heaven to watch over and conduct the ſoul (in ſpite of the devil) ſafe into Abrahams boſome.
David had the comfort of this, and ſpeaks it forth for the comfort of his Brethren. Pſalm 34.7. ſaying, The Angels of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Mark, the Angels of the Lord encampeth round about his children, to deliver them. From what? From their enemies, of which the devil is not the leaſt. This is an excellent comfort at any time to have the holy Angels of God to attend a poor man or woman; but eſpecially it is comfortable in the time of diſtreſs, at the time of death, when the devils beſet the ſoul with all the power that hell can afford them. But now it may be, that the glorious Angels of God do not appear at the firſt, to the view of the ſoul; nay, rather it may be, hell ſtands before it, and the devils ready, as if they would carry it thither. But this is the comfort, the Angels do alwayes appear at the laſt, and will not fail the ſoul, but will carry it ſafe into Abrahams boſome.
Ah Friends! conſider, here is an ungodly man upon his death bed, and he hath none to ſpeak for him, none to ſpeak comfort unto him; but it is not ſo with the children of God, for they have the Spirit to comfort them. Here is the ungodly, and they have no Chriſt to pray for their ſafe conduct to glory, but the Saints have an Interceſſour.John 17. Here is the world, when they die, they have none of the Angels of God to attend upon them; but the Saints have their company. In a word, the unconverted perſon when he dieth, he ſinks into the bottomleſs pit. But the Saints when they die, do aſcend with, and by the Angels, into Abrahams boſom, or into unto unſpeakable glory.
Again, it is ſaid that the rich man when he died was buried, or put into the earth, but when the beggar died, he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſom. The one is a very excellent ſtile, where he ſaith, he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome; it denotes the excellent condition of the Saints of God, as I ſaid before; and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo the preciouſneſs of the death of the Saints in the eyes of the Lord, that after generations may ſee how precious in the ſight of the Lord the death of his Saints is, when he ſaith, they are carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome. Thus many times the Lord adorneth the death and departure of his Saints, to hold forth unto after generations, how excellent they are in his eyes. It is ſaid of Enoch, that God took him; of Abraham, that he died in a good old age of Moſes, that the Lord buried him; of Elijah, that he was taken up into heaven; that the Saints ſleep in Jeſus; that they die in the Lord; that they reſt from their labour; that their works follow them; that they are under the Altar; that they are with Chriſt; that they are in light; that they are to come with the Lord Jeſus to judge the world. All which ſayings ſignifie thus much, That to die … Saint is very great honour and dignity. But the ungodly are not ſo. The rich or ungodly die, and are buried, he is carried from his dwelling to the grave, and there he is buried, hid in the duſt; and his body doth not ſo faſt molder and come to nought there, but his name doth ſtink as faſt in the world: as ſaith the holy Scripture, The name of the wicked ſhall rot. And indeed the names of the godly are not in ſo much honour after their departure, but the wicked and their names do as much rot. What a diſhonour to poſterity was the death of Balaam, Agag, Achitophel, Haman, Judas Herod, with the reſt of their companions. So that though the wicked have their names written in the earth, and they do periſh and rot, yet the name of the Saints do caſt forth a dainty ſavour to following generations: and that the Lord Jeſus doth ſignifie where he ſaith, The godly are carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome. And that the wicked are nothing worth; where he ſaith, The ungodly die and are buried.